Legal Issues

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) have become almost commonplace in the United States, the European Union and certain countries in Central and South America. It is estimated that over a million children have been born as a result of the use of ART.  The increased reliance upon the pure medical and scientific aspects of ART have caused Intended Parents to run smack into the ethical, religious and legal restraints of society as those restraints address reproduction.  Looking at the broad landscape these issues present, the informed Intended Parent will look toward how those restraints may ultimately impact upon their parentage.

Every Country and their respective political subdivisions, approach ART differently.  The Intended Parent will have to become aware of the laws which govern the medical procedures as well as those which address parentage and how to obtain a birth certificate.  This awareness encompasses not only the residence of the IP, but also of the persons helping, be they an  IVF Clinic, egg donor, surrogate or sperm donor.  Additionally, it is the place where the birth occurs which determines the procedure for obtaining a birth certificate.  All of these persons will be interacting with each other all of which will be administered through contracts.

We can easily conclude then that the contracting process increases in complexity as the raw number of persons involved increases, as well as by the diversity of political subdivisions where those persons reside. All in all, having a child is the most important thing that you will do in your life. We hope that the legal resources provided in these pages helps you prepare.